Rafael Nadal has been the talk of the town following his shocking retirement announcement. After enjoying a glorious two-decade-long career on the ATP, the Spaniard decided it was about time he drew the curtain. With some lamenting that his ‘punishing’ style of play negated chances for longevity as he sustained multiple injury counts, an ex-pro believes otherwise. Surprisingly, he offered his unique take years after he clashed with the former World No. 1.

The Manacor star aired that his final professional outing will come in Malaga next month, where he stands to represent his nation one last time at the Davis Cup Final 8. Subsequently, players and fans alike posted emotional messages to commend his stellar legacy and heap praises on his much-lauded resilience. However, Nadal has always faced trouble maintaining a healthy physique.

Somewhere down the line, experts were forced to believe that the Spaniard’s aggressive game setting is what caused him to undergo a plethora of physical scares. Ever since he was hit with a recurring hip injury at the 2023 Australian Open, Rafa lost his touch. Regardless of such unsettling speculations, Australian legend and Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt struck a different chord. He flipped claims that would otherwise flag Nadal’s ‘highly-taxing’ game methodology.

The ex-ATP pro was featured on ‘The AO Show’ just ahead of the United Cup and highlighted that Nadal’s heavy topspin game coupled with heavy physical strains only helped him emerge victorious. While the Spaniard put his body under stress, Hewitt claimed that “it has a lot to do with how mentally tough he is. There’s a lot of times he played through pain and he is probably one of the greatest players to ever be able to do that I think to get the most out of himself in very tough positions, that he puts his body through but that was his style of tennis and how he got the most out of himself.”

Nadal is slated to commence his final appearance in Malaga with all sincerity. Knowing that he can’t level his rivals’ formidability, or as witnessed during his performance at the Six Kings Slam exhibition, the Spaniard took an important step detrimental to his nation’s chances at the Davis Cup.

Rafael Nadal predicted to skip the singles rubber at Davis Cup to safeguard Spain’s chances

Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal never shied from bringing laurels to his country. Naturally, the two-time Olympic gold winner has reserved nothing but the best intentions for Spain’s outcome at the Davis Cup. Subsequently, while talking to reporters in Riyadh, Rafa rhetorically outlined: “Will I be ready for the Davis Cup? Emotionally, yes, that’s for sure; physically and tennis-wise, I still have a month ahead of me.” However, the latest reports suggest he might skip playing in the singles.

Ahead of his farewell, Paris Masters director Cedric Pioline predicted that the Spaniard will confine his performances to the doubles rubber and, with it, not jeopardize Spain’s chances by heading into singles unprepared. “From what I know of him, I’m of the opinion that he’ll only play the doubles to take his leave and not jeopardize the team’s result for his personal need to say goodbye.”

With the group event around the corner, an unsettling air has engulfed fans. While Rafa’s much-awaited farewell has somewhat intrigued fans, the fact that his career has come to an end has uneased many.